“Why Do You RV?”

We are asked versions of this question regularly. Usually, it’s asked from a place of genuine curiosity. Every once in a while it’s asked sarcastically, and followed by the humming of “Dueling Banjos” (that creepy music from the movie “Deliverance”), or better yet, with an enthusiastic, “Shitter’s Full!” (an ode to Randy Quaid’s motorhome-driving character in the movie “Christmas Vacation”).

Ok, so RVing is not for everyone. Spring 2015 will mark our third year as part-time RVers. Here’s how my husband and I decided to take the plunge and what keeps us coming back:

Ever since I was young, I have been fascinated by RVs. When I would see an RV on the road, I’d watch it until it was out of my field of vision. I’d wonder where the people inside were going and where had they been. Family members had a small Class C motorhome and I loved sitting inside, absolutely delighted by the idea of a miniature house on wheels.

As I grew into adulthood, I discovered my love for travel. I traveled with friends, and later my husband, as often as possible. Then we had kids, and traveling went on the back-burner while they were small.

In recent years, a series of health crises with loved ones had a profound impact on me. We all came through it and I was left with a deep appreciation for the value of life. Through that journey, I came to truly understand that experiences are more important than things. Our loved ones are gifts to be treasured. Time is precious; don’t waste it on wishing. Go for the gusto!

Fueled by wanderlust, gratitude for life, and the desire for enriching experiences with my husband and two kids (now the perfect age for camping), we threw caution to the wind and bought our first RV.

Bessie is a Jayco Greyhawk 27DS.

“Bessie” is a Jayco Greyhawk. At 28 feet long, this Class C Motorhome was the perfect size for us newbies, and not too intimidating to drive.

We quickly fell in love. What started with the plan to use Bessie a couple of weekends per month, quickly increased to camping/traveling for 1-3 weeks at a time and many weekends. We now think of Bessie as a summer cottage on wheels.

Wanderlust is a hard thing to describe. It means different things to different people. For me, it’s manifested in the compulsive desire to see, feel and experience things myself, rather than merely watching it on tv or reading about it on the internet/in books.

I get such a kick out pointing to something that we see on tv and saying, “Hey! We were there!” RVing allows me to participate in life in a way that both fuels and quenches my wanderlust.

RVing is a tool used to get out “there” (wherever that may be), outside of my normal life, on an adventure or just relaxing by the lake, surrounded by all the comforts that I want and need, with the people I treasure the most. I also enjoy spending time in our RV all by myself.

The RVing community is filled with Wanderlusters. Many are talented writers, videographers and photographers. Some, like me, are part-timers with dreams of one day becoming full-timers. Many have chosen to bravely walk away from their “sticks and bricks” homes and embark on adventure-filled lives as they travel across the country in their RVs. I admire their sense of adventure and appreciate their experienced perspective, which they generously share through blogs and social media.

We thought about staying at Frontier Town. But chose a really great place that was a little farther out of town. No, we didn’t try a hot pit beef place, but we will next time! Always love food recommendations! 🙂

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Meet The Roadsters

Hi, my name is Chris, and I'm an RV junkie. During camping season, my downtime is spent hanging out by a lake, on an adventure, or planning our next excursion in Bessie the RV. I write about whatever I find inspiring at the moment, such as travel, RVing, shoes, my spider garden... you know, the basics. My happy family includes a dog (Tucker) and a cat (King Carlos). We'll CU On The Road!

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